Fluid compressor



E. P. OSWALDh FLUID COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULYIS, 1920.

Pawnted Oct. 10, 1922,

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EHJL Z? OSI/Y "D E. P. OSWALD.

FLUID COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY l5. 1920.

Patented 001; 10, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- wv Wm O 3 9 J E f L T m @d k \/d E Z Z l, 4 5 2 j L .W 2 L z M L 2 5 4 3 /4 2 ff/f7 Z 7 5 z j 0 2 AC L 3 @La Z 00 2 5 i @Hom/w11 troit, county of Wayne, State of Patented Oct. 10, 1922.

UNITED STATES 1,431,593 PATENT OFFICE.

mL P. OSWALD, OF DETROIT, IICHIGAN, BSIGNOR T0 UTILITY C0 r an:

COKPANY, .A CORPORATION 0F KIOHIGN.

FLUID COIPBEBBOB.

Application Med July 15, 1920. Serial lo. 896,477.

To all wlw/rn 'it may concern.:

Be it known that I, EARL P. OswALD a citizen of the United States, residi at eichi an, have invented a certain new and useful mprovement in Fluid Compressors, and declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it -pertains `to make and use the same, refto attain its speed of operation prior to the assumption of the load by the compressor. A further object is to provide a fluid compressor of a character and construction permitting the pistons to be so set in the cylinders that the entire contents of each of the cylinders is discharged on each stroke of the piston.

Generally with fluid compressors a clearance space is necessarily provided to prevent what is known as a pound of the pistons in the cylinders, and this clearance space being filled withv compressed Huid reduces the eiiiciency of the compressor inasmuch as the fluid under compression in the clearance space will, on the intake stroke of the piston, expand with the piston and no new Huid is drawn into the cylinder until the pressure therein is below that of the intake side of the system. By providing a construction and mechanism eliminating the necessity of providing an appreciable clearance, the efficiency of the compressor 1s"V the usual type and causing the pistons to successively take in, compress and discharge a compressible Huid.

The compressor may be used for various purposes as for instance in the circulating system of artificial refrigerating plants having a high and low pressure side, the compressors taking the refrigerant, as sulphur dioxide, from the expansion side of the system and discharging it under pressure to the compression or high pressure side of the system. 'An object of this invention is to dispense with the usual poppet type valves which are apt to become corroded or nonoperative for various causes and to provide a central valve plate with which the intake and discharge ends of the cylinders ride in contact when in operation, the plate having what I have termed ports with which the ports of the cylinders register successively during a revolution of the cylinders as hereinafter more fully described. A further feature of this invention is to provide a construction whereby the cylinder ends are moved into contact with the valve plate subsequent to attainment of certain predetermined speed of revolution of the cylinders and move away from the plate upon the speed decreasing below a certain predetermined speed of revolution thus automatically connecting and disconnecting the compressor cylinders with the valve plate. By this ar'- rangement an object of this invention is attained-namely, to secure an automatic loading and unloading arrangement whereby the compressor may be directly connected with an electric motor. These and other objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and the preferred form of construction embodying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. l is a vertical section of a fluid compressor and operating means therefor embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is asection taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 showing the relationship of the cylindeis and operating means for the pistons.

Fig. 3 is aface view of the valve plate being a sectionV taken online 3-3 of Flg. 1.

Fig.' 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing the intake and exhaust conduits opening through the valve plate to the compressor cylinders.

Fig. 5 is a detail showing a portion of the piston driving member showing a pm providing a driving means between the cylinder and the piston operating device.

As heretofore stated, the compressor consists of a series of cylinders which are arranged in a radial relation having the 1ntake and discharge ends at the center and are revoluble about a common axis. The relationship of the cylinders 1, 2 and 3 1s shown in Fig. 2. These cylinders are preferably formed integrally in a single casting keyed to the central shaft 4. The upper face of the casting at the cylinder ends is provided with a coned recess 5 in which are apertures 6, 7 and 8 for the respective cylinders. These apertures provide both the exhaust and intake channels which open d1- rectly into the end of the cylinders as shown particularly in Fig. 1. The piston 9 of the cylinder 3 for instance may sweep the entire contents of the cylinder out through the eX- haust aperture 8 due to the position of the said aperture and the same is true of the other cylinders of the series. Each of the pistons of the cylinders is connected by means of a connecting rod 10 with the piston operating member 11. These piston rods may be of any approved type preferably provided with a ball end 12 positioned in the operating member 11 in a manner to permit adjustment thereof longitudinally of the cylinders. vided by the apertured inner screw member 13 through which the rod 10 extends and the inner en d of which is provided with a seat for the ball. The screw 14 in the outer face of the operating member 11. is pro-vided with a half seat for thesaid ball 12in each case and is complemental to the member 13 and, by threading these members 13 and 14 in or out relative to the longitudinal axis of the respective cylinder, the position of the piston may be Vadjusted with nicety permitting the piston to be so set as to actually engage the cylinder end upon the exhaust stroke and thus discharge the entire contents of the cylinder.

In order that the pistons may have the necessary reciprocable movement in the cylinders the operating member 11 is mounted on an aXis indicated at b in Fig. 1 while the cylinders are mounted to turn on the axis indicated at a in Fig.- 1 in eccentric relation to the axis of the piston operating member. The shaft 4 on which the Acylinder casting is secured passes upward through a block 15 having a lower cone shaped end 16 complemental to the coned recess 5 of the cylinder casting and, as hereinafter shown, is provided with intake and exhaust channels for the cylinders. This block 15, hereinafter termed a valve plate or block, is stationary and is provided with'a circular portion 17 the center of which is eccentric to This adjustment may be pro-` the axis of the shaft passing through the block and providing a bearingfor the hub portion 18 of the piston operating member. This block is of" hardened steel providing bearing surface of long life for the part 18 of the piston operating member and for the cone part 16 and the coned portion 5 of the cylinder member and the faces of the bearing portions are carefully finished so that the coned portions may ride in perfect contact without possibility of leakage of air or gas therebetween.

y The block 15 is secured in a frame member 19 and the piston operating member is held in position shown particularly in Fig. 1 by a stirrup 90, which is U shaped in form secured at the ends to the opposite side of the frame 19, the horizontal portion of which, as is shown in Fig. 1 is apertured and provided with a bushing 91 forming a bearing for the stub shaft 92 with which the member 11 is provided on the lower side. The axis of this shaft 92 coincides with the axis of the cylindrical portion 17 of the block 15 about which the member 11 revolves as hereinafter shown.

In the construction shown the casing 19 forms a. part of a casing for an electric motor, the rotor and stator of which are indicated diagrammatically at `93 and 94. The rotor shaft 4 extends upward and is provided with a bearing 95 at the upper end of the frame 19. A thrust bearing 26 is provided at the upper end of the block 15 which is engaged by a block 27 on the shaft to which are pivoted the fly balls 28. A hardcned steel washer 29 is provided at the lower end of the rotor which bears directly upon the upper ends of the levers 30 of the ily balls which are so shaped that, when the fly balls are in position shown in Fig. 1 when thefmotor is idle, the compressor cylinders are dropped away from the valve block 15 so that the coned recess 5 is spaced from the coned valve seat and thus disconnecting the compressors from the high and low pressure lines in which position of the cylinders the pistons may operate freely without compressing the fluid. Upon rotation of the rotor at suiciently high rate of speed the fiy balls` are, by centrifugal force, thrown` outwardand the lever ends 30 engaging the plate 29 raise the" rotor causing the coned recess 5 to engage the coned end of the valve block in operative relation. By the shape of these ends 30 of the fly ball arms and the thickness of the washer 29 the cylinder recess 5 may be made to engage with sullicient degree .of force against the coned end,16 of the valve block to prevent a leakage of air or gas between the coned faces.

The valve block 15 is a drive fit in the lower portion ofthe frame 19 and this portion is provided with channels 20 and 21 as shown in Fig. 4 registering with similar .register wit` channels 23 and 22 respectively in the valve and opening throu h the coned face of the.

valve block. This ace of the valve block is provided with arcuate grooves 26 and 27 into which the channels 24 and 25 respectively open. The orts 6, 7 and 8 of the cylinders these grooves 26 and 27 successively durin the revolution of the cylinder block. 'hese grooves are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Due to the eccentric relationship of the piston operating member 11 to the cylinder member, the piston in each instance begins to move outward on its intake stroke from the line c of Fig. 2. This movement is very slight and there is but little movement of the piston in the c linder 2 in the position shown in Fig. 2. owever, whatever movement takes .place is productive of slight vacuum in the cylinder end and approaches that of the vacuum or low pressure side 28 of the circulating system connected with the intake channel 20. It will .be seen in Fig. 2- that the port 7 of the cylinder 2 is about to open to the intake groove 27 of the valve block with which the intake line is connected through the channel 25 of the valve block. ,Further outward movement of the piston in the cylinder, due to forward movement of the cylinder, draws in the charge from the intake line as the piston is turned about its center practicallyr to the position. shown by the cylinder 3. Just as it reaches this position of thecylinder 3 the intake port of the cyli'nder passes from registration with the oove 27. Further movement of the piston 1n the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 2 and, due to the eccentric relationship of the piston operating member 11, begins to compress the introduced charge and, due to the spacing of the grooves 26 and 27, there is considerable movement of the piston nraising the pressure Iof the fluid in the cylinder to that approaching the discharge line 29 con-` nected with the exhaust channels 22 and 24 of the valve block. The port of the cylinder then opens to the groove 26 in com- .munication with the discharge line 29 as stated, and continued inward movement of the piston forces the contents of the cylinder into the discharge line. A check valve 99 should be provided in the discharge line to prevent a flow of any material volume of fluid into the cylinder chamber when the cylinder casting is moved awa from the valve block opening the ports. owever, as the low pressure line, through the opening of the ports, is opened to the cylinder chamber and thus to the interior of the enclosing cas-` ing 80 of the unit,- provision should be made to take up this fluid and exhaust the same from the casing. This is particularly nece!- sary in the case of transference of sulphur dioxide or other active gas, and this casing 80 is rovided to prevent the leaka of gas into tlie room of a building in whic the apparatus may be placed. This removal of gas from the enclosing casin 80 is accomplished by providing apin ole 31 in the vacuum side of\the system. This maybe minute and the operation of the pump producing a vacuum in the line 28 tends to exhaust the gases from the chamber 80. As before stated, this is of moment in such cases as in refrigerating systems where isltransferred from the low to the high pressure lines. In such instances there is necessarily a leakage in the chamber 80 when thev intake valve is open through the dropping of the cylinder block away from the valve block. In artificial refrigerating systems there is an expansion valve between the high and the low pressure lines and if a check valve be provided as stated in the line 29, fluid under ressure in the line 29 beyond the check va ve will, upon cessation of operation of the pump, become equalized if the coned recess 5 of the cylinder is open. By providing the pin hole intake in the low pressure ine as described this gas is gradually exhausted from the chamber within the casing 80 upon succeeding operationl of the compressor.

As heretofore stated, the piston operating member 11 turns about an axis eccentric to the axis of the cylinder block on the shaft 4. It is necessary for the desired nicety ofy operation that the piston member 11 should be turned simultaneously with the movement of the cylinder block and, if two members be driven constantly in the eccentric relationship stated, there is continued and successive reciprocable movement of the pistons in the respective cylinders. Preferably, the eccentric element 11 is driven by means of the cylinder block which is directly attached to the motor shaft 4. This mayl be accomplished in several ways as for instance by means of a pin 32 on the upper side of each cylinder extending into the circular shown (althoughany number may be em- 120 ployed as desired) and thus at least one of the pins is in engagement withy the forward ed or face of its aperture 33 as indicatedin Fig. 5 and thus by rotation of the cylinder block the member 11 is caused 125 to turn in unison therewith. Each pin 32 of the respective cylinders comes successively into driving relationship in the aperture of the member 11 and then passes out of driving relationship therewith, due to, 130

the eccentricity of the parts as is indicated by the dotted circles within the 'aperture 33 shown in Fig. 5. By this means the member l1 is continuously driven through the 5 successive engagement of the pins 32 of the several cylinders with the forward side of the respective apertures.

The design of the apparatus shown by the drawings is one particularly adapted for use with small household refrigerators for transference of the sulphur dioxide or similar refrigerant from low to high pressure lines, and the cylinders may be, very small, about one inch in diameter-and about liveeighths of an inch stroke, for the reason that being directly connected with the motor Iwhich has a, relatively high rate of speed and while transferring a very small volume of refrigerant fluid at each stroke yet for any time interval the volume transferred is sufficiently large for the purpose.

The 'efficiency of the compressor-is therefore as great as one having much larger cylinders and operated at the usual slow speed, and the eliiciency is probably greater than that of the usual type of compressor handling an equal volume in the same period of time in view of the fact that practically no loss is occasioned as the pistons discharge practically the entire contents of the cylinders at each'stroke. n

l From the foregoing description it is evident that the device is simple in construction, eiiicient in operation and is capable of being used directly connected with an electric motor by reason of the peculiar construction whereby the v-compressor is .automatically loaded and unloaded permitting the motor to attain its running speed prior to the compressor assuming its load, and that the several objects of the invention are secured by the construction described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. A fluid compressor comp-rising a series of radially positioned cylinders adapted for rotation about a common center, an eccentric ring like member rotatable about an axis eccentric to the axis of rotation of the cylinders, a piston for each cylinder, a piston rod connecting the piston to the eccentric ring, means for revolving the ring vsimultaneously with the cylinders, the cylinders each having a port nea-r the inner end, a valve plate with which the inner ends of the said cylinders may seat, an intake and discharge conduit opening through the valve plate for registration with the cylinder port, and means whereby the speed of rotation of the cylinders may cause the cylinders and valve plate to assume co-operative relation.

2. In a fluid compressor, a series of radially positioned cylinders having the discharge ends adjacent the center and adapted for rotation about the center, a reciprocable piston for each of the cylinders, an operating member rotatable about a center eccentric to the axis of lrotation of the cylinders, a connecting rod between each piston and the eccentric member, means for rotating the said member and the cylinders at a common rate of speed to cause reciprocation of the pistons, there being intake and discharge conduits with which the discharge end of the cylinders may register in succession, and means whereby the speed of rotation of the cylinders causes the said conduits and discharge ends of the cylinders tol assume'cooperative relation.

3. In a iuid compressor, a series of radially positioned cylinders having discharge ends nearv the center and adapted for rota- -tion about said center, la piston for each cylinder, a member rotatable about an axisv eccentric to the axis of,rotation of the cylinders with which the pistons are connected, means for rotating the said member and cylinders in unison, a valve plate, and intake and discharge conduits against which said discharge ends of the cylinders seat during revolution of the cylinders.

4. In a iiuid compressor, a series of radially positioned cylinders having discharge ends near the common center and adapted for rotation about the center, the cylinders having a discharge conduit freely open to the cylinder, a valve plate, a seat for the plate at the cylinder ends, there being intake and discharge conduits formed on opposite sides of the plate and opening therethrough with which the ports of the cylinders register in succession during revolution of the cylinder, centrifugally controlled means for causing engagement of the valve plate and discharge ends of the cylinder an operating member` rotatable about an axis eccentric to the axis of rotation of the cylinders and a connecting rod between the pistons and the operating member, the relationship of the pistons, operating member therefor and the valve plate conduits being such that the piston draws in a charge during registration of the cylinder port with the intake port and discharges the same during registration with the discharge port of the plate.

5. In a fluid compresso-r, a series of radially positioned cylinders each having an orifice providing an inlet and discharge port at the inner end, a valve plate having an intake port on one side and an exhaust port on the opposite side, intake and discharge lines connected with the respective valve ports, means for rotating the cylinders about the common center to bring the ports successively in registration with the intake and exhaust ports of the valve, centrifugally co-operative, relationship, pistons for the cylinders, and means for reciprocating the pistons in the cylinders in timed relation with the successive registration of the cylinder orifice with the intake and discharge ports of the valve.

6. In a fluid compressor, a series of radially positioned cylinders each having -an orifice providing an inlet and discharge port at the inner enda valve plate having an intake port on one side and an exhaust port on the other side, and a groove formed in the face thereof extending each way from each port, the ends of the grooves being spaced apart, intake and discharge lines connected with the respective valve ports, the cylinder ends being formed to provide a seat in which the valve engages during operation, centrifugally actuated means for causing engagement of the valve with the seat, means for rotating the cylinders about a common center to cause registration of' each cylinder orifice successively with the grooves of the valve ports, pistons for the said cylinders, means for reciprocating the pistons in the cylinders in timed relation with the successive registration of the cylinder orifice with the intake and `disc arge ports of Athe valve, the .piston movement being such that a partial vacuum is produced in each cylinder prior to registration of the cylinder orifice with the intake groove and the charge placed under ressure previous to registration of the ori ce with the exhaust oove.

7. In a uid compressor, a series of radially positioned cylinders having discharge ends near the common center and adapted for rotation about the said center, each cylinder having an orifice providing an inlet and discharge port at the inner end,

there being provided a valve. seat at said inner ends through which the orifices open, a valve block 'having an intake port on one side and an exhaust port on the opposite side, intake andv discharge lines connected with the respective ports, rotation of the cylinders causing the orifice thereof to register successively with the intake and exhaust ports of the valve, centrifugally actuated means for causing engagement of the valve block with its seat, reciprocable pistons for the cylinders, a member rotatable about an axisl eccentric to the axis of rotation of the cylinders, pivoted con` necting rods extending between the pistons and the said member,said member being rotatable in unison with the cylinders to cause movement of the pistons in the cyl- 'inders in timed relation with the successive registration of the cylinder orifice with the intake and discharge ports in the valve.

8. In a fiuid compressor, a series of radially positioned cylinders having discharge ends near thecenter and adapted for rotation about said center, a piston for each cylinder, means for causing reciprocable movement of the pistons in the cylinder successively, each of the cylinders having an orificey providing an inlet and an exhaust port at the inner end, a valve .seat through which the cylinder ports open, a valve plate having an intake and discharge orifice on opposite sides with which the cylinder ports may register in succession, a sha-ft to which the cylinders are attached, a motor directly connected with the shaft, and a centrifugally operated means for causing movement of the shaft .to bring the cylinder' ports and valve seat into engagement with the valve plate upon attainment of a certain speed of revolution and causing the cylinders and valve seatl to become spaced from the valve upon reduction in speed of operation below said certain speed.

9. In a fluid compressor, an electric motor, a shaft to which the motor is directly secured, a pump comprising a seriesof cylinders directly connected to the said shaft, the cylinders each having an orifice providing an intake and discharge port, a valve seat through which the cylinder ports open, a valve having intake and discharge ports with which the cylinder ports are adapted toregister in succession during operation, cenltrifugally operated means for causing the cylinder ports to assume operative relation with the valve member upon attainment of certain speed of rotation, pistons for the cylinders, and means for reciprocating the same in timed relationship with the registration of the cylinder ports with the valve ports.

10. In a fiuid compressor, an electric motor, a shaft to which the rotor of the motor is directly connected, a series of radially positioned cylinders also directly connected with the shaft, the inner ends of which are each provided with an orifice, there being a valve seat through which the said orifices open, a stationarily positioned valve member having an intake and a discharge port on diametrically opposite sides, intake and discharge lines connected with the said ports, and cen-' trifugally operated means for causing longitudinal movement of the shaft to bring the valve seat to engagement with the valve member upon certain speed of rotation of j the shaft and to space the same upon a reduction in speed of operation of the motor.

11. In a self-loading and unloading fluid compressor, a cylinder having a port, a reciprocable piston, a valve having spaced intake and discharge ports with which the port of the cylinder registers successively,

and a centrifugally operated means for causof the cylinders with the said member upon certain reduction in speed.

13. A- self-loading and unloading fluid compressor comprising in combination with a primer mover, of a vertical shaft to which the prime mover is connected, a series of radially positioned cylinders, the inner ends of which are provided with a port providing an inlet and discharge orice,a valve seat at the said inner ends through which the ports open, the cylinder group being attached at the center directly to the shaft, a stationaryv valve member having an inlet and discharge port on opposite sides, the valve block being adapted to it the said seat and the seat being normally spaced therefrom, centrifugally actuated means for moving the shaft longitudinally to cause engagement of the seat with the valve block upon attainment of certain speed of rotation of the cylinders, a reciprocable means for reciprocating the pistons in timed relation with the registration of the cylinder port with the intake and exhaust ports of the valve member.

14. A selfloading and unloading fluid compressor comprising the combination with a prime mover, of a vertical shaft to which the prime mover is connected, a series of radially positioned cylinders, the inner ends of each of which are provided with an orifice providing an inlet and discharge port, a

valve seat at the said inner ends through which the ports open, the cylinder group being attached at the center direct y to the iston for each cylinder, and

shaft, a stationary valvev member having an inlet and a discharge port on opposite sides, intake and discharge lines for said valve ports, the said valve member being adapted to fit the seat andthe cylinder block and seat being normally spaced from the valve and its ports, centrifugally actuated means for movin the shaft to cause engagement of the seat with the valve member upon attainment of certain .speed of rotation, a reciprocable piston for each cylinder, a ring whose center is eccentric to the axis of rotation at the cylinders, a piston rod connecting each piston with the ring, and means for rotating the ring in unison with the cylinder block.

15. In a fiuid'compressor in combination with a prime mover, a shaft to which the prime mover is connected, a series of radially positioned cylinders attached directly to the shaft and rotatable therewith, the inner ends of the cylinders each having an orifice providing an intake and discharge port, there being provided a valve seat at the said inner ends through which the ports of the cylinders open, a stationarily positioned valve member having intake and exhaust ports on opposite sides, the said shaft extending through the valve member and movable longitudinally therethrough, centrifuga-Hy actuated means for causing movement of the shaft to bring the seat to engagement with the valve upon certain speed of rotation being attained, intake and discharge lines connected with the said ports of the valve, a closed chamber in whlch the cylinders are positioned into which the ports of the valve open when the parts are separated, there being provided a comparatively small aperture in the intake line within the said chamber whereby fluid discharged into the chamber on the opening of the valve ports thereto is withdrawn by the pumps when in operation.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

EARL P.' OSWALD. 

